Reusable clips are well know in commerce; as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,335, of common inventorship herewith, they may comprise a pair of generally co-extensive, axially extending jaws, one of which has a channel therealong, the other an upstanding rib. The jaws are hinged together at one axial end of each so as to be moveable into mutually confronting relationship, with the rib of the one jaw interleaved with the channel opening, so as to bear upon the interior walls along their length, and elastically deformed the channel walls. Latch means are disposed at the axial ends of the jaws opposed to the hinge for releasably latching the jaws in their closed position. A plastic bag is sealed with the clip by the action of compressing the opposed surfaces of the bag between the rib and the channel walls. Other clips of a similar nature are known, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,697. In all of these clips the jaws have a more or less uniform transverse cross-section along their length, and it is usually intended that a bag to be sealed will extend over the whole length of the jaws. Given that the clips may be used with bags of different sizes, it may arise that the bag will overhang the jaws somewhat, thereby interfering with the latch and/or the hinge, and quite possibly puncturing the bag.
The clips are typically low cost items, and any reduction in size may provide an important economy in manufacturing cost, and further it may facilitate the packaging of the clips for distribution with the plastic bags.
It is an object of this invention to provide clips which facilitate the positioning of a bag relative to the clip prior to closure.
It is another object with this invention to provide clips of a reduced size and cost, for a given size of a bag to be closed.